Catherine Arlidge of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has become the first violinist – and third-ever recipient – of the RPS/ABO Salomon Prize, a prestigious award celebrating the outstanding contribution of orchestral players to the UK’s musical life.

The Salomon Prize was created by the Royal Philharmonic Society and Association of British Orchestras in 2011 to celebrate the ‘unsung heroes’ of orchestral life; the orchestral players that make our orchestras great. The award is named after Johann Peter Salomon, violinist and founding member of the Philharmonic Society in 1813.

Catherine Arlidge, Sub Principal of the second violins, who has played with the CBSO for over 20 years, was nominated by her fellow musicians and the CBSO’s management for her creativity, energy and “great skill for motivating and inspiring colleagues and for engaging with her audience”. She has been instrumental in initiating and devising many projects and ideas to engage young people in classical music that are having a significant impact on the world of music education.

Catherine was presented with her award by Rosemary Johnson, Executive Director of the Royal Philharmonic Society and Mark Pemberton, Director of the Association of British Orchestras, on stage at a CBSO concert of music by Brahms, Prokofiev and Mozart at Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 10 January. She received a cheque for £1000 and will keep for one year the Salomon Prize Trophy – a soft-ground etching of Salomon made by William Daniell in 1810.

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